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Journalist goes undercover in kerb crawl probe

A newspaper reporter experienced a darker side to her patch went she spent two nights undercover in streets used by prostitutes.

Emily Walker, crime reporter with the Swindon Advertiser, was approached by ten kerb crawlers in the space of just one hour on one of the nights.

But the drivers soon beat a hasty retreat when the 26-year-old told them she was an undercover reporter.

Emily admits volunteering for the investigation, which was sparked after a glut of court cases involving prostitution in the Wiltshire town.

She told holdthefrontpage: “There was a series of attacks on prostitutes in Swindon where a number of girls were taken from the streets and raped.

“We decided to do a week of features, each one on a different aspect such as the legal issues surrounding prostitutes and brothels and what the police are doing.

“We did kerb crawlers in the final part. The idea (of going undercover) was to go out and talk to them on the streets.

“Generally, their response was they didn’t want to talk.

“The idea was to present all sides of the story. We wanted to see what the kerb crawlers were up to.”

Emily, a reporter with the Advertiser for 18 months, said the most disturbing part of the operation was people’s behaviour towards her.

Dressed in an unprovocative pair of jeans and hooded top, she experienced the gamut of reactions from pitying looks to worried mothers shielding their children.

There was little danger to her personally though as she had fully briefed the police beforehand and had a security guard in close proximity throughout both nights.

She was not short of offers from kerb crawlers, with one gentleman brazenly approaching her in his work’s van, complete with company name splashed down the side.

Emily added: “I don’t regret doing it but it wasn’t a pleasant experience.

“Kerb crawlers swore at me because I didn’t play their game.

“Some people looked at me like I was some sort of poor crack addict. It was worse than I expected.

“I think there are about 30 or so girls working in these particular streets.

“There’s a very specific area but local residents don’t like us calling it a red light district.”